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George Sears Greene
George Sears Greene

George Sears Greene (May 6, 1801 – January 28, 1899) was a civil engineer and a Union general during the American Civil War. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 1801 ( MDCCCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Tuesday Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South He was part of the Greene family of Rhode Island, which had a distinguished military record for the United States. Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States The United States of America —commonly referred to as the His greatest contribution during the war was his defense of the Union right flank at Culp's Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg. See also Battle of Gettysburg See also [[Gettysburg Battlefield]] [[Gettysburg Confederate order of battle]] [[Confederate order of battle]] and [[Gettysburg Union order Background and movement to battle See also [[Gettysburg Campaign]] [[Gettysburg Battlefield]] [[Gettysburg Confederate order of battle]] [[Confederate order of battle]] As a civilian, he was a founder of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Architects and was responsible for numerous railroads and aqueduct construction projects in the northeastern United States.

Contents

Early life

Greene was born in Apponaug, Rhode Island, one of nine children of Caleb and Sarah Robinson Wicks Greene. Apponaug is a neighborhood in central Warwick Rhode Island, situated on Apponaug Cove a tributary to Greenwich Bay and nearby Narragansett Bay. [1] His family had roots in the founding of Rhode Island and in the American Revolutionary War, including General Nathanael Greene, George's second cousin. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Nathanael Greene ( August 7 1742 &ndash June 19, 1786) was a Major general of the Continental Army in the American [2] Caleb was a financially shrewd ship owner and merchant, but the Embargo Act of 1807, which prohibited U. The Embargo Act " was a series of laws passed by the Congress of the United States between the years 1806-1808 during the second term of President Thomas S. vessels from carrying goods to other countries, and the War of 1812 left his family in financial difficulties. The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies [3] Young George attended Wrentham Academy and then a Latin grammar school in Providence and hoped to attend Brown University there, but his impoverished father could not afford it, so he moved to New York City and found work in a dry goods store on Pearl Street. Brown University is a highly esteemed private University located in Providence, Rhode Island and is a member of the Ivy League. The City of New York [4]

In the New York store, Greene met major Sylvanus Thayer, superintendent of the United States Military Academy, who recommended him to the Secretary of War for appointment to the academy. Please see " Major " for other countries that use this rank In the United States, Major is a Military rank denotes Brigadier General Sylvanus Thayer ( June 9, 1785 - September 7 1872) also known as "the Father of West Point" was an early superintendent "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington 's administration Greene entered West Point at age 18 and graduated second of 35 cadets in the class of 1823. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, [3] (Classmates of Greene's included future Union Adjutant General Lorenzo Thomas, Joseph K. Mansfield, David Hunter, Dennis Hart Mahan, and Albert Sidney Johnston. Lorenzo Thomas ( October 26, 1804 &ndash March 2, 1875) was a career United States Army officer who was Adjutant General Joseph King Fenno Mansfield ( December 22, 1803 &ndash September 18, 1862) was a career United States Army officer civil engineer David Hunter (July 21 1802 &ndash February 2 1886 was a Union general in the American Civil War. Dennis Hart Mahan ( April 2, 1802 &ndash September 16, 1871) was a noted American military theorist and professor at the United ) Top graduates of the academy generally chose the Engineers as their branch, but Greene decided on the artillery and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 3rd U. Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. S. Artillery regiment. However, due to his excellent academic performance, he stayed at the academy until 1827 as an assistant professor of mathematics and as a principal assistant professor of engineering. One of the students he taught during this period was Cadet Robert E. Lee. Robert Edward Lee (January 19 1807 &ndash October 12 1870 was a career United States Army officer, an Engineer, and among the most celebrated [5]

In the summer of 1828 Greene married Mary Elizabeth Vinton, sister of his best friend at West Point, David Vinton. Elizabeth gave birth to three children over the next four years: Mary Vinton, George Sears, and Francis Vinton Greene. While assigned to Fort Sullivan in Maine in 1833, tragedy struck Greene's family: Elizabeth and all three of their children died within a seven months, probably from tuberculosis. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for tubercle bacillus or T u' b' erculosis Bacillus --> is a common To ease the pain on his mind and to escape the isolation and loneliness of peacetime Army garrison duty, he immersed himself in study of both the law and medicine, coming close to professional certification in both by the time he resigned his commission in 1836 to become a civil engineer. [6]

Greene built railroads in six states and designed municipal sewage and water systems for Washington, D.C., Detroit, and several other cities. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D In New York City, he designed the Croton Aqueduct reservoir in Central Park and the enlarged High Bridge over the Harlem River. The Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842 Central Park is a large public Urban park in New York City, with about twenty-five million visitors annually The High Bridge (officially the Aqueduct Bridge) is a stone Masonry Arch bridge, with a height of almost 140 feet (40 m over the Harlem River See also Geography and environment of New York City The Harlem River is a navigable tidal Strait in New York City, USA that He was one of twelve founders in New York City of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Architects. While on a trip to Maine for railroad surveying, he met Martha Barrett Dana, daughter of Samuel Dana, a prominent Massachusetts politician. Samuel Dana was a United States Representative from Massachusetts. They were married in Charlestown, Massachusetts, on February 21, 1837. Charlestown is a part of the city of Boston, Massachusetts located on a peninsula north of Boston proper Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1837 ( MDCCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common They had six children together, including four sons who volunteered for the Union during the Civil War, one daughter, and one son who died in infancy. [7]

Civil War

Despite being over 60 years old and having been out of the Army for 25 years, the crisis of the Union compelled Greene to seek to rejoin the service. He was essentially apolitical and was not an abolitionist, but he was a firm believer in restoring the Union. Abolitionism was a political movement of the 18th and 19th century which sought to make Slavery illegal particularly in the United States and British West Indies He was appointed colonel of the 60th New York Infantry regiment on January 18, 1862. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday [8] The regiment of upstate New Yorkers had been dissatisfied with their colonel and the company commanders had petitioned for his removal. Governor Edwin D. Morgan, although initially reluctant to appoint Greene because of his age, saw his 13 years of regular army experience as a solution to his political/military problem. Edwin Denison Morgan (February 8 1811 February 14 1883 was Governor of New York from 1859 to 1862 and served in the United States Senate from 1863 to 1869 The Regular Army is a name given to the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained during peacetime During this period, Governor John A. Andrew of Massachusetts was also prepared to offer Greene a regiment, but Greene chose to serve New York. John Albion Andrew ( May 31, 1818 October 30, 1867) was a US Political figure. The officers of the 60th were dismayed when the elderly, gray-haired man reported for duty. They had requested that their lieutenant colonel be promoted, which would have raised many of them in rank themselves. [9]

On April 28, 1862, Greene was appointed brigadier general of volunteers and served on the staff of Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Banks in the Shenandoah Valley campaign against Stonewall Jackson. Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday In the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force, brigadier general is a one-star General Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Nathaniel Prentice (or Prentiss Banks ( January 30, 1816 September 1, 1894) was an American Politician and Soldier Background In the spring of 1862 "Southern morale. was at its nadir" and "prospects for the Confederacy's survival seemed bleak Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21 1824 &ndash May 10 1863 was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, and probably the At age 61, Greene was one of the oldest generals in the Union army and his troops took to calling him "Old Man" or "Pap" Greene. However, his age did not keep him from being one of the most aggressive commanders in the army. He commanded the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, II Corps, of the Army of Virginia at the Battle of Cedar Mountain during the Northern Virginia Campaign. There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps ( Second Army Corps) during the American Civil War. The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. Background Maj Gen John Pope was placed in command of the newly constituted Union Army of Virginia on June 26. Background and opposing forces After the collapse of McClellan's Peninsula Campaign in the Seven Days Battles of June 1862 President Abraham Lincoln appointed Attacked by a Confederate force three times the size of his own, Greene and his men refused to give ground, holding out until the neighboring Union units were forced to withdraw. The War Department was established by the Confederate Congress in an act on February 21, 1861. His division commander, Brig. Gen. John W. Geary, received a severe wound during the action and Greene took command of the division temporarily. Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. John White Geary (December 30 1819 February 8 1873 was an American lawyer politician and a Union general in the American Civil War. [3]

Greene was again temporarily elevated to command of his division, now designated part of the XII Corps of the Army of the Potomac, at the Battle of Antietam. The XII Corps ( Twelfth Army Corps) was a Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Even though XII Corps commander Brig. Gen. Joseph K. Mansfield was killed shortly after the fighting began, Greene led a crushing attack against the Confederates near the Dunker Church, achieving the farthest penetration of Maj. Joseph King Fenno Mansfield ( December 22, 1803 &ndash September 18, 1862) was a career United States Army officer civil engineer Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's lines than any Union unit. Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21 1824 &ndash May 10 1863 was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, and probably the Under immense pressure, Greene held his small division (only 1,727 men engaged at the start of the day)[10] in advance of the rest of the Army for four hours, but eventually withdrew after suffering heavy losses. [3] While the division was posted to Harpers Ferry, Greene took a three-week sick leave. Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard speculated that Greene, like many of his fellow officers, was sickened by the stench of dead and wounded at Antietam. Oliver Otis Howard ( November 8, 1830 &ndash October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union When he returned, there was a new division commander, Brig. Gen. Geary. Greene was disgruntled that Geary, with only a few days seniority over him, was selected for the post; Geary had been wounded at Cedar Mountain and his combat record was not as good, but his political connections and a sentiment that a wounded officer should not be set back in his career unnecessarily, gave him the nod. [11]

Greene resumed command of the 3rd Brigade, which was involved in minor skirmishes in northern Virginia and not engaged at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December. Background and Burnside's plan The battle was the result of an effort by the Union Army to regain the initiative in its struggle against Lee's smaller but more aggressive army [12] At the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, his brigade was in the center of the line. Forces and plans The Chancellorsville campaign began with the potential of leading to one of the most lopsided clashes in the war When the Union right—the XI Corps—collapsed, Greene's brigade was subjected to enfilade artillery fire and then infantry assaults. The XI Corps ( Eleventh Army Corps) was a Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, best remembered for its humiliating defeats at He had ordered his men to fortify their positions 200 yards to their front using abatis and trenches and they were able to hold out against several Confederate assaults, although losing 528 men of 2,032 engaged. Abatis, abattis, or abbattis (a French word meaning a heap of material thrown is a term in field Fortification for an obstacle formed of the During part of the battle, Greene once again assumed temporary command of the division when Geary was wounded again. [3]

Gettysburg

Culp's Hill defenses, afternoon, July 2.
Culp's Hill defenses, afternoon, July 2. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival
Johnson's attack, evening, July 2.      Confederate      Union
Johnson's attack, evening, July 2. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival      Confederate      Union

The Battle of Gettysburg was the highlight of Greene's military career. Background and movement to battle See also [[Gettysburg Campaign]] [[Gettysburg Battlefield]] [[Gettysburg Confederate order of battle]] [[Confederate order of battle]] On July 2, 1863, Maj. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 1863 ( MDCCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Gen. George G. Meade shifted almost the entire XII Corps from the Union right to strengthen the left flank, which was under heavy attack. George Gordon Meade ( December 31, 1815 &ndash November 6, 1872) was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved Greene's lone brigade of 1,350 New Yorkers (five regiments) was left to defend a one-half-mile line on Culp's Hill when an entire Confederate division attacked. See also Battle of Gettysburg See also [[Gettysburg Battlefield]] [[Gettysburg Confederate order of battle]] [[Confederate order of battle]] and [[Gettysburg Union order [13] Fortunately, Greene had previously demonstrated good sense (as befits a civil engineer) by insisting that his troops construct strong field fortifications, despite a lack of interest in doing so from his division commander, Geary, and corps commander, Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum. For the American tennis player see Henry Slocum (tennis Henry Warner Slocum ( September 24 1827 &ndash April 14 In Greene's finest moment of the war, his preparations proved decisive and his brigade held off multiple attacks for hours. He was active the entire engagement rallying his men to defend their positions in the darkness. Late at night the rest of the XII Corps returned to Culp's Hill. The fighting resumed the next morning and raged for over seven hours, but the Union troops held Culp's Hill. [3]

The desperate fighting on the Union right flank was as important as the more famous defense of the Union left flank on July 2, by Col. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Strong Vincent's brigade on Little Round Top. Strong Vincent (June 17 1837 &ndash July 7 1863 was a lawyer who became famous as a U See also Battle of Gettysburg Second Day See also [[Gettysburg Battlefield]] [[Gettysburg Confederate order of battle]] [[Confederate order of battle]] and [[Gettysburg In fact, given that the Union line was only 400 yards from the vital Union supply line on the Baltimore Pike, it can be argued that it was more important. However, Greene's contribution to this critical battle have never been widely heralded, principally because of a dispute between Meade and Slocum over the filing of their official reports. But a member of Greene's brigade wrote:[14]

Had the breastworks not been built, and had there only been the thin line of our unprotected brigade, that line must have been swept away like leaves before the wind, by the oncoming of so heavy a mass of troops, and the [Baltimore] pike would have been reached by the enemy.

Western Theater

In the fall of 1863, the XII Corps was transferred to the West to reinforce the Union forces besieged at Chattanooga. The Third Battle of Chattanooga (popularly known as The Battle of Chattanooga, and including the Battle of Lookout Mountain and the Battle of At the Battle of Wauhatchie, during a surprise night attack by the Confederate forces, Greene was wounded in the face, with his jaw crushed and some teeth carried away. The Battle of Wauhatchie, also known as Brown's Ferry, was fought October 28 and October 29, 1863, in Hamilton and Marion Subsequent surgery was not able to correct his condition and he suffered from the effects of his wound for the rest of his life. After six weeks of medical leave, he was assigned to light court-martial duty until January 1865, when he joined Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army in North Carolina. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Serving initially on the staff of Maj. Gen. Jacob D. Cox, he participated in the battle at Kinston, where he had his horse shot out from under him. Jacob Dolson Cox (Jr ( October 27, 1828 August 4, 1900) was a lawyer a Union Army general during the American Civil War The Battle of Wyse Fork was a battle fought in the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War, resulting in a Union Army victory At the very end of the war Greene was in command of the 3rd Brigade in Absalom Baird's 3rd Division, XIV Corps, and participated in the capture of Raleigh and the pursuit of Gen. Absalom Baird (August 20 1824 Washington Pennsylvania – June 14 1905 near Baltimore Maryland) was a career United States Army officer who distinguished XIV Corps was a Corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Raleigh (pronounced rah-lee) is the Capital of the State of North Carolina and the county seat of Wake County, USA Joseph E. Johnston's army until its surrender. Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3 1807 &ndash March 21 1891 was a career U [13]

Postbellum career

After the war, Greene served on court-martial duty for a year and then returned to civil engineering in New York and Washington, D. C. From 1867 to 1871 he was the chief engineer commissioner of the Croton Aqueduct Department in New York. At the age of 86, he inspected the entire 30-mile Croton Aqueduct structure on foot. [15] He served as president of the American Society of Civil Engineers from 1875 to 1877 and president of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. He was appointed to West Point's Board of Visitors in 1881. [3]

By 1892, Greene was the oldest surviving Union general and the oldest living graduate of West Point. He petitioned the United States Congress for an engineer captain's pension that would be of help to his family after his death. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The best that Congress was willing to do was arranged by Congressman and Gettysburg veteran Daniel E. Sickles of New York, a first lieutenant's pension, based on the highest rank Greene had achieved in the regular army. Daniel Edgar Sickles (October 20 1819 &ndash May 3 1914 was a colorful and controversial American politician Union General in the American Civil War The Regular Army is a name given to the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained during peacetime On August 18, 1894, Greene took the oath of office as a first lieutenant of artillery and became, at 93, the oldest lieutenant in the U. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common S. Army for 48 hours. Veterans in MOLLUS declared that he was the oldest lieutenant in world history. The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United [13]

Legacy

Monument to Greene on Culp's Hill at Gettysburg National Military Park
Monument to Greene on Culp's Hill at Gettysburg National Military Park

Greene died at age 98 in Morristown, New Jersey, and was buried in the Greene family cemetery in Warwick, Rhode Island, with a two-ton boulder from Culp's Hill placed above his grave. This article is about the Town of Morristown in New Jersey Other places in New Jersey with similar names are Morris Township, Morris Plains, and Moorestown Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. [13] He is memorialized with a statue erected in 1906 by the State of New York on Culp's Hill in Gettysburg National Military Park. The Gettysburg Battlefield was the site of the Battle of Gettysburg, fought July 1 to July 3, 1863, in and around the borough of Gettysburg [15]

Greene's wife Martha died in 1883 at an age of 74. Their oldest son, Lieutenant Samuel Dana Greene, was the executive officer on the ironclad ship USS Monitor during the famous Battle of Hampton Roads. An ironclad was a steam-propelled Warship of the later 19th century protected by Iron or Steel armor plates Design Monitor was one of three ironclad warships ordered by the U The Battle of Hampton Roads, often called the Battle of Monitor and Merrimack, was a Another of their sons, Francis V. Greene, commanded a brigade at the Battle of Manila during the Spanish-American War. Francis Vinton Greene (1850-1921 was a United States Army officer who fought in the Spanish-American War. The Battle of Manila was a short engagement between the United States and Spain during the Spanish-American War, not to be confused with the naval A third, Charles Thurston Greene, was a lieutenant on his father's staff at Culp's Hill. Later in 1863, Charles was wounded by an artillery shell and his leg was amputated, but he remained on active service until 1870. George Sears Greene, Jr. , volunteered to serve but was not allowed to do so by his father so he could survive and carry on the family name. [16]

A description of George Sears Greene from Lt. George K. Collins of the 149th New York Infantry sums up the general:[17]

He was a West Point graduate, about 60 years old, thick set, five feet ten inches high, dark complexioned, iron gray hair, full gray beard and mustache, gruff in manner and stern in appearance, but with all an excellent officer and under a rough exterior possessing a kind heart. In the end the men learned to love and respect him as much as in the beginning they feared him, and this was saying a good deal on the subject. He knew how to drill, how to command, and in the hour of peril how to care for his command, and the men respected him accordingly.

– Lt. George K. Collins

Trivia

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Palmer, p. 21. Other sources spell Sarah's maiden name as Weeks or Wickes.
  2. ^ Mierka, n. p.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Motts, pp. 63-75.
  4. ^ Palmer, pp. 22-23.
  5. ^ Palmer, pp. 28-29.
  6. ^ Palmer, pp. 31-33.
  7. ^ Palmer, pp. 34-47.
  8. ^ Eicher, p. 266.
  9. ^ Palmer, pp. 54-55.
  10. ^ Palmer, p. 80.
  11. ^ Palmer, pp. 99-100.
  12. ^ Palmer, pp. 105-07.
  13. ^ a b c d Kuhl, pp. 880-83.
  14. ^ Murray, p. 55.
  15. ^ a b Murray, p. 61.
  16. ^ Murray, pp. 59-61.
  17. ^ Murray, p. 4.

External links

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